Novelist Hema Naik to preside over 25th All-India Konkani Sahitya Sammelana in Mangaluru from November 4

Veteran novelist Hema Naik to preside over 25th All-India Konkani Sahitya Sammelan in Mangaluru, Nov 4-5. Hindi poet Udayan Vajpeyi to inaugurate, Mamta G. Sagar to be chief guest. Sessions, literary presentations, panel discussions, and folk & cultural programmes. English panel discussion on 'Challenges for contemporary writers'. 600 delegates, writers, students, & Konkani speakers from across India to attend. Accommodation & food provided.

Veteran novelist and Sahitya Akademi award winner Hema Naik will preside over the two-day 25th All-India Konkani Sahitya Sammelana to held at the World Konkani Centre at Shaktinagar in Mangaluru from November 4.

All-India Konkani Parishad will host the conference.

Talking to reporters here on Thursday, H.M. Pernal, working president of the sammelan’s reception committee, said that renowned Hindi poet and critic Udayan Vajpeyi would inaugurate the sammelan on November 4 at 10 a.m. and deliver the keynote address on the topic ‘Literature and life’. Renowned poet Mamta G. Sagar will be the chief guest for the valedictory ceremony where she will speak on ‘Social responsibility of writers’.

During the two days, Mr. Pernal said, there would be sessions, literary presentations, panel discussions, and folk and cultural programmes. On November 4, at 5.30 p.m. there will be a panel discussion in English on ‘Challenges for contemporary writers’, which would be chaired by Puroshottam Bilimale. Non-Konkani writers and literary enthusiasts of the region can attend this session.

Mr. Pernal said speeches during the inaugural and valedictory events would be in Hindi and English, respectively.

More than 600 delegates, writers, students, and Konkani speakers from Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra, and other parts of country would participate in the two-day conference. It would be a golden opportunity for literary enthusiasts of coastal Karnataka to interact with writers and scholars. Food has been arranged on both days for the participants. Registered delegates will be provided with accommodation, Mr. Pernal said.

President of sammelan’s reception committee Micahael D’Souza, committee’s vice-president Nandagopal Shenoy, All-India Konkani Parishad vice-president Melvyn Rodrigues, and parishad’s working president Chetan Acharya were present.